itinere | Network + action optional

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Good afternoon. I’m Matt Murdock. I know some of you, but many of you are strangers to me. I’ve lived in Itinere for over a year. I’ve got friends here and it’s become a place that I care about. Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about what happened last month with the hearts and the creatures. Before that, there were the monsters. I’m not sure if the city is less safe than it used to be or if this is just a phase. Either way, I think we should be prepared for the next thing and if last month taught me anything, it was that I’m not, that we aren’t.

A friend of mine, much wiser than her years, told me I needed to do something that scares me, so here I am, doing t hat. I’m different from most people. I’m blind, but my other senses are...super, for lack of a better word. Back home, in New York City, I’m known as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen. I try to help people in my neighborhood when they need it. I’d like to help people here when they need it as well. The problem with that is that it’s become obvious I can’t do it alone.

That’s where you all come in. I’m not asking that everybody turn out into the streets when it’s dangerous and fight. That would only lead to more problems, but I am asking that if you can, if you’ve got some sort of power or some kind of experience with this sort of thing, I’m asking that you band together with me and help those that aren’t equipped to fight the creatures this city has.

I’ll gladly talk to any and all of you here via text or voice if you’re more comfortable that way, but I’ll be at STAR labs for the next several hours to talk to anyone in person that’s interested in joining me.

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For anyone that’s comfortable meeting Matt, he can be found in the lobby of STAR labs. He’s not wearing his daredevil suit, but instead one of the suits he used to wear in court. He’s also wearing his sunglasses, but has left the cane at home as he’s got no need for it. It will be very obvious that he can ‘see’ in his own way as he looks up or turns to face whomever approaches the door. He’s nervous, and that might show as well. He’s become an expert at hiding nerves in court, but this hardly counts as court and it’s an entirely different sort of thing. Right now, he’s nervous about how he’ll be received with his ‘abilities’ and he’s nervous about leading a group of people. He’s never done that before. He’s never even worked in a group that consisted of more than two people. Of course, there’s the chance that no one will respond to his message and the defense ‘team’ will consist of he and Spider-man. He supposes that’s better than nothing.

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See? That wasn't so bad, was it?

That remains to be seen, but so far so good. Any other enlightening tips you want to give me on this whole deal?

Matt. Just give me this one, huh? We both know I'm right.

Um...no, I think that does it for now. :)

Okay. You were right.

Thanks.

I love it when grownups have to say I'm right :D

Sure! <3

Of course, you do, Brat

[ Said lovingly though. ]

You love me anyway. :P

[ Said with the same tone. ]

I'll see you soon, Matt. Good luck with the meetings! I have a good feeling.

This place isn't too terribly unlike Beacon Hills, so far. Laura's been here a few months and if it's not one thing, it's another. Though, at least here there are longer breaks between the crazy. The point is, she's used to crazy and she's used to protecting people who either don't know the threat amongst them exists or who do, but haven't any idea how to fight back. That's just what the Hale family has been doing for probably longer than Laura's even been alive. The Hales protected Beacon Hills.

This isn't home, but it's not like she can go back there. It might as well be home. So, in that vein, she ought to continue to protect it and if someone wants to build a team so that she's not randomly pairing up with whoever might be out and about trying to do their part and is instead a part of something organized — like a pack — then Laura Hale is one hundred percent here for this, regardless of what Derek might think about it.

It takes a little bit to find someone who knows where STAR Labs is, but once she gets directions, she realizes she's been past this building a hundred times, by now. She'd just never paid it enough attention to notice the giant signage on the pillars flanking either side of the building.

She's pulling on the bottom hem of her leather jacket and scenting the air as she walks in. She's trying to discern whether or not this man's "super" senses come attached to a man who smells like a wolf — like Deucalion. Blinded by a hunter, but still smelling of the wolf within. It's the first thing she thinks of, even if she knows plenty of other supernatural creatures with "super" senses.

"Matt Murdock, I'm guessing?" she asks and, because he says his other senses are more acute, she doesn't bother reaching for his hand when she holds hers out for him to shake. If his senses are like hers, he'll smell her skin and the "unscented" — talk about false advertising — lotion on her hands and arms; her leather jacket. He'll be able to tell how close she is. He'll hear the distance between them between the heart beating in her chest and the minute sounds of fabric and leather creaking and slipping with the movement of her arm. Deucalion could see without seeing; Laura's not going to insult him into thinking he can't do the exact same thing. If she's wrong, he'll hesitate and she'll take his hand instead to shake it, but she's guessing she's got this one right on the nose. "Laura Hale. Also equipped with 'super' senses. Among other things."

Matt will appreciate having more people around who are used to crazy, who are used to protecting others. Everyone's experience helps here, particularly as there seem to plenty of things that he has no experience with at all.

Matt knows that the building came with people who are no longer here. It seems to make a decent meeting point and he knows there are weapons and technology here that they can use.

The walls and windows of STAR labs aren't soundproof (and Matt isn't sure there's a soundproof room that does work for him) and he's listening for people that might be showing up here. Because of that, he hears Laura outside before she comes in, but he doesn't smell her until she opens the door.

"Yes," Matt responds with a smile, approaching her and taking her hand without hesitation or a bobble. He smells all of those things, as well as something he can't place. Eventually, maybe he'll figure out it's the wolf in her, but right now he just chalks it up to the powers she says that she possesses. "Pleasure to meet you, Laura. Do you have experience with any kind of...well, the sort of things that we tend to face here."

A soft laugh escapes her and Laura nods her head as she releases his hand and settles her arm back at her side. Does she have experience with the sort of things they face here? Laura technically is the sort of thing they tend to face here, she just happens to be a good guy at the same time. "Sorry," she says, realizing that laugh without further explanation could be perceived as sort of rude. "Yeah. You could say that," she clarifies.

Her eyes shift away from Matt and she looks around the room. "This place is big..." she observes thoughtfully. "There haven't been many people here. Three, maybe four? At least in a while," she adds more to herself than to Matt. She's catching two distinct scents that do not belong to Matt, plus his. But that's all she's picking up, at least down here in the lobby. It's a big building and she doubts this is the only entrance, though, so it's possible there have been or are more she can't smell from where she's standing.

"You hang out here a lot or you just like the lobby enough to call the meeting here?" she asks, a little smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she runs a hand through her hair. "Not that it matters; just curious. I suppose I should hold the questions until maybe more people show up, if anyone else shows up, so you don't have to repeat yourself a hundred times?"

Matt tilts his head at Laura, curious as to why she's laughing, then she clarifies. The laugh makes sense. He nods, smiling. "That probably makes this place easier. Have you ever worked with a team?"

"It's huge and I haven't explored all of it," he admits. Her sense of smell is more specialized than his. Since he doesn't know the people that have been here, it's just a cluster of smells and much of it is stale enough that he can't pick out details.

"Oh, no. Neither, actually but there are weapons and technology here that we can use. The people that owned this building are gone as far as I know, but they did something like what I'm attempting to do, put together a team of people to protect the town, back home. I figured...might as well continue things here." As for the rest of it. "By all means, ask questions if you like. I don't know if anyone else will be showing up or not."

Easier, Laura thinks, is entirely subjective. "What makes this place easier is that we get breaks in between big bads," she replies. Even in her time, things were pretty back to back and, according to Derek, it only gets worse with time. The question about working with a team, though, is a little tricky. Because, technically, her pack was a team, but they were also a family, by blood relation. She's pretty sure that he's talking about coming together with people who could be strangers by any other means and combining skills to take out a common enemy.

"Ehhh..." she says, mostly a non-committal sound. "That sort of depends on how loose or tight your definition of 'team' is, but I've worked with others now and again, yeah," she clarifies after a short pause.

Her attention moves back to Matt when he responds, but her eyes move back out to study the lobby more almost immediately thereafter, her eyebrows lifting with curiosity. "Hmm. Maybe we should check it out," she murmurs mostly to herself absently. She grins a little at the mention of weapons and looks back at him. "I prefer not to use weapons, personally," she admits. Usually, hunters use weapons; Argents do, not Hales. "I don't need 'em. But that's not a bad idea for people who want to help and don't have their own special abilities," she adds thoughtfully, neither wanting to sound nor be dismissive. Finally, Laura gives him her full and undivided attention again as she turns to face him when given the go ahead to ask questions.

"So, you're blind and your other senses make up for that...or you're blind in spite of the fact that the rest of your senses are on unnatural overdrive?" she wonders aloud, crossing her arms at her chest and relaxing her stance as she tilts her head curiously. "I just...I guess I'm trying to suss out whether you have super senses like you'd said or if they just compensate naturally for the one you're missing and you've just learned to work with what you've got."

If this conversation were happening with someone who was pack, she would have attacked them by now to see how they would respond. Laura still doesn't know just how able this man actually is and she doesn't want to risk hurting him or, for that matter, appearing as a threat when she doesn't feel she is. Not to him, anyway. "I mean, you're human; I can tell that much by your scent, so I'm just trying to understand, I guess. Where I come from, humans don't have super anything so...you'll have to bear with me while I figure this all out. It's better we know each other's strengths and weaknesses if we're going to be a team, no?" And she's not necessarily trying to be evasive, but he hasn't opened a door for her to talk about herself just yet and she figures that'll come in the midst of the conversation. She'll open up when he asks. For now, she's trying to get to know him while not exactly keeping it a secret that she's not like him. She's calling him human like she isn't one...because she isn't one.

She's right, easier is entirely subjective, but she's also right about what makes this place easier. Back home, he never gets a break. There's always another criminal element, usually bigger and badder, to contend with. He's never thought of it as 'big bad' though. He inclines his head in a nod. "Indeed, and I'm grateful for that. It allows us to do something besides constantly fight." It's allowed him to make a life here unlike one he had back home. He appreciates that even if he knows he's still needed back home.

"That's enough," he says. She is familiar, at least, with working with others strengths and weaknesses, as well as cooperating with others.

"I thoroughly intend to. I've explored a little, but not enough to really know what's available. On top of that, I'd appreciate having someone with traditional sight give it a look over."Her comment about weapons makes him even more curious about what sort of abilities she's got. Almost everyone he knows in his world uses weapons of some kind. Of course, he's only just heard of mutants, people with abilities unique enough that they don't need weapons. "I don't believe in killing," he starts, hesitating a moment because killing monsters is something he's had to learn to do here, "if there's another system in place to deal with them or if there's a chance of rehabilitation, but the right weapons can be useful for me at least, but I'll trust your judgement with your abilities and the subject of weapons."

"I was nine when I was in an accident that blinded me. Some sort of radioactive chemical got in my eyes. That's when my other senses went way into overdrive. I can hear everyone in this city from the roof of this building. If I focus, and I know what I"m listening for, I can pick individuals out. I know you had a cheeseburger for dinner last night and that you're not entirely human. I can differentiate between people's scents, heartbeats and movements. I can feel vibrations in a room, which is how I can fight. Particularly loud, shrill noises can throw me entirely off and a concussion will put me down for the count until it heals. I also heal faster, but that's meditation more than my abilities."

He's trusting her, trusting that she's honest in wanting to help people and she won't use what he's telling her against him. "So...my abilities go far beyond most normal human abilities, even normal blind humans."

In spite of herself, Laura smiles a little. "Well, I guess you just figured out what our first team building exercise is going to be," she says, only half-joking, in response to his mention of wanting someone who can see traditionally when he goes through this place to see what all is available here. That, she realizes a little bit belatedly, suggests that he can see, just not the way a human would normally see, and it makes her wonder if he can see like she does when she uses her wolf eyes.

Her eyes narrow slightly in thought when he says that he doesn't believe in killing and it takes an actual effort to keep from bitterly retorting that she does, because she doesn't, actually. Not in a general sense. Laura believes in killing when the only way to be certain of the safety of others is to kill. That's why the Argents survived so many generations. They weren't dangerous to the humans the Hales were protecting. They were only dangerous to the Hales themselves. Her Alpha had always said that they can protect themselves and they don't need to kill the hunters; just steer clear. Fat lot of good that had done them, in the end.

Clearing her throat, Laura shakes her head slightly as if to physically shake the thoughts away and refocus her attention on Matt. "I kind of am a weapon, so I'll leave them for the others." She's chewing her bottom lip thoughtfully as she listens to his story and her eyebrows lift. "I had six, actually, but I'm still impressed," she counters with a smirk in response to his mention of her dinner last night. "Okay, well, since you addressed the elephant in the room, no, I'm not human at all, I just take on a human form because it's a lot easier having opposable thumbs." Okay, seriously, stop kidding around Laura, she has to remind herself. "I'm a werewolf. Before you freak out, the movies have got it wrong. I'm not an uncontrollable monster bent on killing and turning people when the full moon rolls around. I can transition whenever I want, I don't have any vested interest in turning people even though I could if I actually wanted to, I've never hurt anyone while in my transitioned forms, it doesn't hurt me, and it's kind of awesome."

She shrugs. "My pack used to protect the town we lived in. Beacon Hills was called Beacon Hills for a reason: it's a beacon to the supernatural. Other supernatural beings are drawn there all the time and the humans have no idea it's all right under their noses unless the supernatural gets especially violent. That's where my pack would step in. We can take the blows that might kill a human and bounce back in a few hours or days. It's damn near impossible to kill me unless you get a hold of my Achilles heel.

"I run faster, I'm more agile, I'm stronger, and all of my senses are more acute than that of an average human. I heal incredibly quickly, because my metabolism is insanely high (which is why the six cheeseburgers). I can transfer pain out of people and take it into myself because I heal faster from it. Like you, I can pick people out by scent, once I know their scent. That's how I know that there have been a few more people in here. It's been a while since some of them have been, it's been more recent since the others. Mostly male. Maybe one female, but if so, she's pre-pubescent; the scents are different when the hormone shifts start happening. I can't tell the difference between one person's heartbeat and another's, though, I can just hear them, but they all kind of sound the same to me."

Laura pauses, crossing her arms over her chest and she nods. "Yeah, I think we're going to work together just fine, Matt."

It's around noon when she wanders into STAR Labs. It's not a place that she's been before, and not a place that she thinks she'd bother with if Matt hadn't opted to meet strangers here. If it hadn't been for the message he sent out earlier in the day, she might not even be here at all. Katniss knows that this is something he's been dwelling on since his resurrection. She remembers how nervous he had been admitting his abilities to her. What he did today can't be easy.

As much as the idea of losing him again terrifies her, she's proud of him. So very proud. Matt is the hero that she's never could be. The Devil of Hell's Kitchen doesn't just protect his own like Katniss had. He fights for every person incapable of fighting for themselves. If she hadn't realized that she loved him upon seeing him again, she'd realize that now. It's never been about someone who has the same fire inside that she has, although Katniss is aware that Matt does possess some of that fire. But he cares. He cares so deeply for his fellow human beings and that's the kind of inspiration Katniss needs in her life.

She notices that he doesn't have his cane as she approaches. That causes a smile to cross her face. She carries with her coffee and sandwiches for lunch - making certain to pack Matt's favorite. She also has a few pastries for dessert. Her footsteps are quiet as she enters the room and there's the scent of the forest still clings to her. It's been a good day for her, a normal day. Then again, every day has felt like a good day since Matt's returned.

"I brought you lunch," Katniss says by way of greeting. She places the food and drink down on a nearby table before closing the space between them and pulling him in for a tight hug. "And coffee. Your message was amazing today, Matt."

He's actually been dwelling on this a little longer, since Bo warned him about something big coming. His resurrection simply made it clear how important doing this was. What he did today wasn't easy. Bo keeps reassuring him that it's going to be okay, but even that doesn't necessarily mean that people are going to accept him.

Katniss has it in her to be a hero; she already is a hero, she just doesn't realize it. However, he's hoping that she'll join him in this endeavor to keep this place safe, to keep everyone in it safe. Sometimes Matt has far too much fire for his own good, but it's more controlled here and part of that is due to her. She gives him so much happiness that it counteracts some of the guilt and darkness that being Daredevil brings into his life.

There's no reason for it. He can smell the sandwiches, coffee and pastries; he's grateful for them as well. He also knows that it's Katniss the moment she opens the door. He can smell her, but he also knows the particular cadence of her heart, the way her footsteps sound despite how silent she it.

She pulls him into a hug and he presses a kiss to her cheek. "Thank you. For the food, coffee and your faith in me. I appreciate it."

If people don't accept him, then as far as Katniss is concerned, there's something wrong with them. Matt isn't a mutt. He's nothing like those creature that the Capitol created. He isn't exactly human but that doesn't matter. In some ways, he's more human than many of the people she knew back in Panem. He cares. He cares so much that even after dying himself, Matt Murdock is still willing to put himself out there to protect others.

That's enough to get Katniss out there, too. Her priorities will always be more selfish in nature with the people she cares about coming first in her life. She'll feel better supporting him. She'll feel even better if she can be out there with him. That might be more of a stretch. Katniss might be good with a bow but she has nothing on Matt's abilities.

She smiles when he kisses her cheek. "There's no reason to thank me." She kisses his lips in return and pulls back to go for the sandwiches. As much as Katniss loves him, food still remains the greatest love of her life. She tugs on his hand as she walks towards the table. "Tell me how today's gone?"

People seem a good deal more accepting of weirdness here. Maybe it's because that's the sort of people this place draws or maybe it's because weird things happen here. That, combined with Bo's reassurance that everything would be okay, had given him the courage to say something today, to tell the public what he was, who he was. it's something he doesn't think he'd ever do back home and it's something of a relief.

Some people would call that selfless. With practice, Katniss will be able to go out with him. She is very good with a bow and they'll develop a strategy that works for them.

He's aware of that and he's okay with it. It generally makes him smile, and right now is no different. it's nice to have a break, something to think about instead of how people are going to react. "So far, so good. A woman named Laura stopped by and talked to me a little. I've already talked to Peter about it and he's on board. We should have a small group to help out."

If you wish for something hard enough, it can appear. There is nothing normal about Itinere. She hadn't been so open to the weirdness at first but she's since learned. It makes life a lot easier if you just accept it. It also makes life richer. At least it has Katniss'.

Some people might call her actions selfless but Katniss has never been able to. Even volunteering to take Prim's place in the 74th Hunger Games had been an act of selfishness. How could she live without her sister? How can she live now without Matt? She's had to experience it once. That's not something she wants to experience again. Developing a strategy that might get her out there with him wouldn't be such a bad idea.

"That sounds like a good start," Katniss agrees. She takes a seat at the table and begins to unpack the bag of food. "Do you think you'll get more volunteers?"

It had taken Matt a while to get used to this kind of weirdness and even now he's careful about what he wishes for because he knows that sometimes the wishes are more subconscious than intentional. Katniss is right though: accepting the weirdness, the wish magic, does make life richer and better. They can have things, both material and immaterial, that they could never have back home.

She's her own worst critic. It's true of most people, but particularly true in Katniss's case. They can work on that; they can train and he's willing to risk her safety because it is hard to be the one left at home to worry, but also because Katniss is incredibly capable. She simply needs to learn how to handle herself in an intentional way rather than being thrown into the fray.

He sits in a chair next to her, close enough that he can press his knee against hers. He reaches for the food as she unpacks it, knowing by smell which sandwich is his and which is hers. "I think so. We've got quite a few people in the city with powers and up until now, we've all been working individually. I think most of them will see the value in working together."

She had never bothered much with wishing back in Panem. There had been no point. Wishing wasted time and energy you could use elsewhere. Though wishes sometimes came true here, the only thing she's ever knowingly wished for were those dumb animals her sister loved so much. What else has she ever really needed here? When everything fell apart and muttations rained from the sky, she had been more interested in surviving than wishing. Good or bad, no matter how weird it gets, she has things she could never have elsewhere. It's the immaterial that means more than anything to her.

At least he recognizes that. She tends to do better when there's someone to keep her in check. Here she has multiple people to keep her from beating up on herself too much. In return, she can do the same. Katniss has noticed Matt has those moments where he seems to doubt himself. She's found that she likes being there to help talk him out of it.

Katniss grins at the feel of his knee against her and inches a little closer. She likes this feeling of closeness and given that Matt initiated it, she doesn't worry about overwhelming him. After swallowing a large bite of her sandwich, Katniss nods. That's good. It's good to think there might be people watching over everyone who can't defend themselves. "Those mutts weren't the worse I've seen here."

Wishing is something that Matt once did on stars and birthday candles, on fallen eyelashes and stars, but it's also something he stopped doing as he got older when he realized that wishing didn't do anything. Wishing here is something he does with care because he's seen how it works. It hasn't been a bad thing here, but he knows it could be bitter sweet and he wouldn't be surprised if this place did start twisting wishes. That's how Matt feels about this place; he has things that he could never have anywhere else and he's learned to enjoy it while it lasts.

He does; it's human nature, he thinks, or maybe it's just part and parcel of being Catholic. Regardless, he's grateful for Katniss' intervention, for her listening ear. He's grateful that he has her to talk to about his insecurities and his doubt, but also about everything else. She's become such a big part of his life here.

He's rarely overwhelmed by her nearness. Quite the opposite, he finds comfort and security in her touch, in having her close enough that he can feel the heat from her body. He senses the way that she nods. "Yeah. I wish there were some sort of catalogue, some sort of book we could look in so we'd know what to expect, but then I guess that'd bring with it implications of premeditation and I don't like that much either."

She saw the text, and recognized the name; there was a Matt Murdock, a Daredevil, in her world (she'd been more on the X-Men side of things and he was more associated with Avengers). It seems like he has a good idea, here, though, so she makes her way to STAR Labs.

"Matt Murdock? I'm Lorna Dane." She says in introduction to start. He may or may not feel the magnetic type of vibrations around her.

Matt looks up as the door opens, not recognizing the woman's heartbeat or her scent. There are so many people here that he doesn't know, and he was hoping that his network broadcast would bring out new people. He does notice the magnetic vibrations around her, but he doesn't know what to make of it. He's never met anyone that has those sorts of vibrations.

He steps closer and extends his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Lorna." The name doesn't sound familiar, but that means very little to him. "Have you got any experience with the sorts of things we tend to have happen here?"

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